Ribbon feed mechanism



July 5, 1938 H. N. DEANE ET AL I 2,122,518 RIBBON FEED MECHANISM Filed Jan. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 5, 1938". H. N. DEANE ET AL RIBBON-FEED MECHANISM 2=Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2, 1937 e z a UNITED STATES PAT This invention relates to mechanism for feed- Patented July 5 1938 RIBBON FEED MEcnANrssr V Henry N. Deane' and James A. Dell, Gleaner.

, Mass, assignors to Simplex Time Recorder (30.,

ENT OFFICE Plate 20 which is operatively connected through ing and reversing the ink ribbon in time stamps, time recorders and other similar machines, it being desirable that such ribbon mechanism shall operate to automatically reverse the direction of feed at the end of ribbon travel in either direction.

' It is an important object of our invention to provide improved and simplified devices for ef; fecting such automatic reversal. With these improved devices, the reversal of ribbon travel is controlled by the resistance of the ribbon to further feed in a given direction after it has been fully unwound from either spool.

A further object of our invention is to provide a ribbon feed mechanism wliich can be easily and economically manufactured and which will be exceptionally reliable in use.

Our invention further relates to arrangements 7 and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which I I Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a time stamp embodying our improved ribbon feed;

Fig. 2.is a partial plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1 and with the cover. removed for clearness; A

Figs. 3 and 4' are side elevations of certain pai'ts shown in Fig. 1 but in different successive operative positions;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of our improved mechanism, with the parts separated for 'clearness; 35 Fig. 6 is a plan view, partly in section, of one of the spool shafts and ribbon spools, taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view of a ribbon spool; Fig. 8 is a partial side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is an end view, looking in the direction of the arrow 9 in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, we have shown a time stamp comprising. a base l and an upper 45 casing or cover portion adapted to contain type wheels for imprinting a time or numeral record or other desired data on 'a record sheet placed on the table l2 above a platen l4. The platen I4 is mounted at the upper end ofa plunger l slid- 50 able within a solenoid coil Ii and moved forcibly upwardwhen the solenoid coil is energized.

The circuit through thecoil i6 is completed by forcing the-normally separated contacts i1 and I8 into engagement. Such engagement is ef- 55 fected by manual pressure on a pivoted push a lever 21 and latch 22 to the upper end of a pring arm 23 on which the contact I8 is mounted. As the plunger moves upward, an offset arm14 lifts the outer end of the latch 22,

thus disengaging the spring arm 23 so that the circuit is promptly broken.

The parts thus far described form no part of our present invention and for a more complete description thereof reference is made to the prior and 3| are rotatable ina bracket 32 secured to the I table l2 by screws 34.

Ratchet wheels 36 and 31 are mounted on the front ends of the shafts 30 and 3| respectively, and are adapted to be engaged by feed pawls 40 and 4|, pivotally mounted at the upper ends of links 42 and 43. These links are pivoted at their lower ends to a rocking plate 45, which in turn is pivoted at 46 to the bracket 32 The upper ends of the links 42 and 43 are con nected by a third and substantially horizontal link 48 having. a V-shaped projection 49 on its lower edge and having a screw or stud 50 at its longitudinal center. The pawls 40 and 4| have offset arms 52 and 53 which are connected by tension springs 54 and 55 to the stud or screw 50 on the link 48.

A holding arm 60 is pivoted at ii to the rocking support 45 and is provided with a roll 62 at its free end'which is pressed against theunder side of the link 44 by a tension spring 64 which connects a stud 45 on the arm 6| to a stud 66 on the rocking plate 45.

An arm ll projects upward from the rockingplate 45 and is connected by a link II to an upright'lever 12', pivoted at I! on the bracket 32. The lower end of the lever is connected by a link 18 to an arm 16 on' a cross shaft 'I'I which is man anti-clockwise direction. Return of the parts to normal position is facilitated by a spring II which connects the lower portion of the upright lever 12 to a fixed lug ll.

The operation of our improved feeding mecha- S and has been wound on the spool S until the end of the ribbon has been reached, For the 5 purposes of our invention, the ends of the ribbon must be firmly and positively secured to the spools S and S. i

. When a further operation of the time stamp and a further upward movement of the platen l plunger I occurs after the ribbon R has been entirely unwound from the spool S, the plate 45 will be rocked in an anti-clockwise direction as previously described. Normally such movement would swing the feed pawl 40 downward Q while in engagement with the ratchet wheel 36,

as in Fig. 1, thereby partially rotating the ratchet wheel 36 in a clockwise direction. However, when the ribbon R has been completely unwound but is still firmly attached to the barrel of the spool S on the shaft 3|, no such angular movement of the ratchet wheel 36 is possible. Consequently thelinks and feed pawls mounted on the plate 45 are held from movement to the left in Fig. l but rocking movement of the plate 45 to the left continues, thus causing a shift of the links and feed pawls to the right relative toithe rocking plate.

The parts are shown in Fig. 3 in the position assumed when the relative shift to the right has] been partially completed. As soon, however, as the point of the V-shaped projection 48 passes the center of the roll 62., the shiftto the right will be accelerated by the forceof the spring 64, and the parts will snap to the position shown'in Fig. 4, with the feed pawl H in position to engage the ratchet wheel 31.

' As the rocking plate 45 is thereafter returned in a clockwise direction to its' normal position by the combined action of gravity and the spring 80,

40 the ratchet wheel 31 will be partially'rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, thus initiating rewinding of the ribbon on the spool S.

When the winding of the ribbon R on the spool S has been completed, resistance of. the ribbon to further travel toward the spool S will cause a second reversal and restoration of the parts to the relation shown in Fig. 1.

It will thus be seen that we have provided a very simple and eifective mechanism by which the ribbon will receive a feeding movement at each actuation of the platen and by whichvthedirection of travel will be automatically reversed when theend of the ribbon is reached.

The specific construction of the ribbon spools S and S and the way in which they are supported and rotated by the spool shafts 30 and SI isshown in detail in Figs. 6 to 9 inclus'ive, the disclosure as to the shaft 3| and spool S applying equally to the shaft 30 and spool S. 09 The spool shaft 3| (Fig.6) is'rotatable in a bearing bushing 85 fixed in the front bracket 32. A spool head comprising a disc 86 and hub 81 is secured to the inner-end of the spool shaft 3I- by f a screw 88. A coil spring ring is mounted in a o5 V-shaped annular groove between the adjacent 1 ends of the-bushing and hub 81 and provides friction to prevent too free rotation of the spool "shaft 3|. 1

A stud 90 is slidable and rotatable in a bearing I 70 bushing -9I in the rear bracket 33 and is axially.

aligned with the spool shaft 3|. A washer 92 limitsinward movement. of, the stud 90 in the bushing'SI and the stud is yieldin gly. pressed inward by a flat spring 93 (Fig. 2) fixed to the 75 bracket 33. A second spool head is mounted on the stud 90 and comprises a disc 94 and hub 95, the latter being secured to the stud 90 by a screw 06. The ribbon spool S is mounted between the spool head'flanges 86 and 94, and is formed withv reduced end portions IOI adapted to be received in the inwardlyprojecting inner ends of the spool head hubs 81 and 95. v The spool S ispreferably formed of metal and is slotted at one side asindicated at I02 in Fig. 9 to receive a rod or key I03 which is fixed in the slot I02 and which projects beyond the .end portions IOI of the spool. .The key I03 may be secured'in the slot I02 by staking the metal over the key at each side, as indicated at I05 in Fig. 8. When the parts are assembled, theends of the key I03 extend intorecesses I06 in the .hubs 81 and 95.

One end of the ribbon R is permanently secured to the spool S" in any convenient manner, 20 as by cement or shellac, and the other-end is siniilarly secured tothe spool S. It has been stated that the construction and method of driving thespool S (Fig. 2), rotatedby the spool shaft 30, are the same as herein described for the spool S. Either spool may beeasily removed or replaced by manually moving the corresponding stud 90 to rearward inoperative position.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, butwhat we claim is:-

1. In a machine for making records in which the ends of a ink ribbon are secured to a pair of ribbon spo is, a ribbon mechanism comprising a pair of shafts on which said spools are mounted, oppositely disposed ratchet wheels mounted on said shafts, a frame 'member in which said shafts are rotatably mounted, a rocking plate pivotally mounted between said shafts, means to rock said plate each time a record is made, a feed pawl for each ratchet wheel, links pivoted to said rocking plate and pivotally supporting said pawls, a third link connecting the free ends of said first-named links, and a member engaging said third link and holding said link yieldingly in one or the other of two positions, in each of which one or the other of said feed pawls is placed in operative relation to its, associated ratchet wheel.

2. In a machine for making records in which the endsof an ink ribbon are secured to a pair of ribbon spools, a ribbon mechanism comprising a pair of shafts on which said spools are mounted, oppositely disposed ratchet wheels mounted on said shafts, a frame member in which said shafts are rotatably mounted, a rocking plate piv'otally mounted between said shafts, means to rock said plate each time'a' ecord is made, a feed pawl for each ratchet wheel, links pivoted to said rocking plate and pivotally supporting said pawls, a third link connecting the free ends of said firstnamed links and having a depending projection thereon, a roll engaging said third link, an arm pivoted on said rocking plate and supporting said roll, and, a spring operative to force said roll q against said third link at oneside or the other of 'saidprojection, thereby placing one or the other of said pawls in operative relation to its associated ratchet wheel. ,3. In a:machine for making records in which the ends of an ink ribbon are secured to a pair of ribbon spools, a ribbon mechanism comprising a pair of shafts on which said spools are mounted, oppositely .disposed ratchet wheels mounted on said shafts, a frame member in which said shafts 75 araaus 3 are rotatably mounted in spaced relation, a rocking plate pivotally mounted on said frame mem ber between said shafts, means to rock said plate in one direction each time a record is made, a spring to return said plate to initial position, a feed pawl for each ratchet wheel, links pivoted to said rocking plate and each plvotally supporting one oi! said pawls, a third link connecting the f free ends of said first-named links and having a depending projection thereon, a roll engaging 

